Runtime & Hosting Manual
This manual explains how NextClaw can stay available. Use it to choose between foreground runtime, background runtime, autostart, remote access, and Docker.
Runtime options
| Option | Best for |
|---|---|
nextclaw start | Daily local use with a background service |
nextclaw serve | Foreground debugging and log observation |
| Autostart | Recovering after login or reboot |
| Docker | Server or container deployment |
| Remote access | Opening this instance from another device |
Recommended choices
- trying it first:
nextclaw start - using it daily: background runtime plus autostart
- accessing it from phone or another device: remote access
- hosting it on a server: Docker or a system-level service
Unused messaging channels stay stopped and do not keep separate processes resident. For the current tested server baseline, three-run idle measurements, and active workloads that need more memory, see Runtime Resource Usage.
When a phone browser returns from the lock screen, background, a frozen page, or a short network interruption, NextClaw immediately rebuilds its realtime connection when the page is shown or focused and synchronizes session and task state again. A full-page refresh is normally unnecessary.
Important boundary
npm i -g nextclaw does not register autostart.
Installing the CLI and installing a host-managed service are separate actions.